S98 
THE TROPICAL 
AGEICULTURIST. 
[Nov. ], 1900. 
The fivst fact to recognise is that native cultivators are 
ready to adopt improved methods and new products 
i£ they see that there is money in them. As iu- 
Btancea of this I may recall that the native owners 
of small gardens freely bought hand pulpers when 
they found the co_§^ee thus prepared fetched a hifther 
price. In sugar, when a cattle mill for expressing 
the juice was provided at a moderate price, it was 
freely adopted by the cane growers in the Southern 
Province. Citrondla, which was first grown by 
Europeans, was freely taken up, and thousands of 
acres in the Southern Province were cultiyated with 
this product, and the oil extracted with the aid of steam 
and ruodern apparatus. When there was a demand 
for European vegetables in Galle for the French 
steamers, the agent of that line supplied seeds, and 
very large quantities of lettuce, chives, beet-root, 
tomatoes and other similar products were grown in 
the neighbourhood of Galle; but these have dis- 
appeared since the demand ceased. 
The motta therefore for those desirous of improv- 
ing and extending the scope of native agriculture 
should he via i^er exemplum. In thij absence of the 
European element in most rural districts, the ex- 
ample should be set by Government — by the institu- 
tion of model gardens — and their gradual mnltipli- 
cition all over the Island, — which would be more or 
less objects for imitation and centres for the distri- 
bution of improved seeds and new varieties. [The 
cultivation of paddy may be excluded from the 
scope of the general schema and be dealt with 
seperately in the mode I will presently deal with.] 
In fact what is required in the first instance is the 
improvement of the cultivation of fruits and vege- 
tables in villages and the substitution of regular 
vegetable gardens for the spasmodic crops now 
raised in chenas. Collateral branches requiring 
attention also are the improvement of the breed 
of fowls, dairy products, treatment of cattle iuclud- 
ing castration. To provide for the necessary instruc- 
tors, or supervising agency for these model gardens, 
it will be necessary to gradually train a number of 
persons drawn from the localities to be served, and 
as they are qualified to return them to their own 
neighbourhoods throughout the country, beginning 
with garden! at the Agencies and Assistant Agencies 
with at least on* smaller garden in each headman's 
division. 
The training and controlling agency, with ramifi- 
cations all over the Island for extension, ig 
already available in the Educational Department, 
with which the Government Agents, their assistants 
and headmen are closely in touch and already 
work amicably. 
A former Director was the first to take up the 
question and induce Government to give some 
measure of support. Any retrogression is due to 
the appointment of a gentleman who was a school- 
master and took small interest in the subject. 
The position is now filled by a Civilian who has 
prior to his appointment paid some attention to 
the question, and as his tenure of office is likely to last 
for some years, there is a guarantee of a continuity 
of administration, which justifies adhesion to the exist- 
ing arraugementa in preference to a new departure. 
i5esides retaining the Director as the controlling 
authority I would adhere to the Agricultural 
School (subject to the modifications I will detail) 
as the mechanism for teaching a certain amount 
of theoretical knowledge (during the first year) 
and supplementing it with a working farm of 
some size on a line of railway, but as 
close as possible to Colombo, for practical work 
during the second year of the course. The farm 
should be rather a large market garden, at which 
vegetables of all kinds, country as well as intro- 
duced, should be cultivated by the students 
theniBolves according to the very best method, and the 
training should be such as to make them good 
practical working gardeners, conversant with 
' European modes of Horticultnr*, as well aa breed- 
ing of poultry, treatment of cattle (including ability 
to castrate). All agricultural work and attention 
to cattle should be done by the students, and no 
cooly labour allowed. A garden so worked 
should show fair pmfits, and should supply 
an existing demand for vegetables, green 
meats and good fruit in time. 
The nest consideration is, having yonr trained 
man, how to keep him in his village. The best 
safeguard for this is to look on a knowledge of 
English as a disqualification for admission to the 
Agricultural School, and to have all instruction at 
it conveyed in Sinhalese (Tamil can follow later 
after the wants of the majority in the Island have 
been fairly met). I would draw the first students 
from young vernacular schoolmasters and the most 
intelligent pupils in vernacular Echoois who have 
passed in the highest standard — a few from each 
district — and put them through a two years' 
course as alieidy indicated. I would at first restrict 
the number of admissions to 20 a year, say for 5 
years, and to induce the proper cla.ss to come op 
for iustruction L would make it perfectly free, in- 
cluding cost of travelling to and from their homes, 
only pxcluding personal clothing. I believe a sum 
of Rio per head per mensem would cover ihie 
item, The knowledge now required on entrance 
and the further education given in general subjects 
at the school are fatal to the chances of those 
now trained at some cost adhering lo an agri- 
cultural course: and to raise the standard would 
still further reduce the chances. If there is a de- 
maud for a higher course from those prepared 
to pay moJcratehj for it, such students wouid be 
I think very few and familiar with Sinhalese 
colloquially, and would therefore benefit by the 
oral and practical • instruction given, and be 
competent to supplement this by leading text 
books in English and some private tuition in the 
more advanced branches. To such a class Government 
might offer a scholarship yearly to proceed to one 
of the Indian Colleges for an extended course of 
education, and from them would be drawn th« 
future teachers of the school. 
My scheme proposes eventually to have 
1. Provincial gardens at G. A. Stations. 
2. District gardens at A. G. A. Stations. 
3. Village gardens in Principal Headmen's Divisions 
4. School gardens. 
If suitable men are available I would make an 
immediate beginning with the 1st and 2nd class. 
Sites of moderate size are doubtless available or 
can be procured on moderate terms. Each garden 
should be allowed one cooly for a few months, after 
which the garden should be self-supporting by tba 
sale of produce, and a regular account Itept of receipts 
and expenditure. The gardens should be under the 
immediate control of the G. A.'s and A. G. A. 'a of 
the stations. As funds accumulated improved 
breeds of fowls should be procured and the eggs sold 
or given away free (with the authority of the 
Agent) to villagers willing to undertake the rearing 
of poultry. Young cocks should also be distributed 
in like manner. Each gardener should be competent 
to castrate cattJe and be required to do it free of 
charge. Dailies i&c. might follow in time at the 
larger stations or where grazing is available. 
As these stations are filled and the first purely 
vernacular gardeners trained under this system be- 
come available, one should be attached to each 
principal headman who should be required to find 
him a proper site for a garden, in which he should 
be expected to raise vegetables, fruits itc, in the mode 
he has been taught, digging up the soil, properly 
manuring, &c., giving information and setting an 
example and supplying seed to his neighbours. He 
should also be required to visit a certain number 
of schools in his neighbourhood and teach the 
scholars for say an hour twice a week, and induce 
them to start small plots round the schoo\, thf 
piaster being instructed to co-onerate. 
